1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to apparatus and methods for metal working. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention relate to apparatus and methods for directing a tool.
2. Description of the Related Art
Techniques for welding metal plates or pipes together to make, for example, ship hulls, barges, pipelines, storage tanks, and other structures made from multiple pieces of metal are labor intensive. Automated systems have been developed to reduce costs, assure uniform weld seams, and to provide an overall lower finished cost product. Typical automated systems employ cameras, probes, or lasers to track weld seams. However, such systems lack precision, require extensive setup time, or are simply ineffective at guiding a welding head along a predetermined path.
Other automated systems have employed a guide or track for directing a welding head along a seam to be welded. Guides and/or tracks are often temporarily attached to a structure by using straps, clamps, rivets, or screws. In other instances guides and/or tracks have been tack welded to the work piece, requiring considerable time, effort, and expense. Such track-based welding systems are cumbersome, time consuming to install, and difficult to use. Moreover, the likelihood of damaging a work piece or welder when removing the guide and/or track increases exponentially, depending on the size of the weld and the welder's access to the weld.
There is a need, therefore, for a new apparatus and method for efficiently and effectively guiding a tool for metal working.